Barbeque grill spit assembly

ABSTRACT

A rotisserie spit kit adapted to use on a barbeque grill. The rotisserie spit assembly includes a spit rod, a circular set of geared teeth, and two stud axles. It is preferred that the assembly include two spit rods. The kit also includes two brackets that can be mounted onto the barbeque grill. The kit also includes a motor that can be mounted onto one of the brackets. The motor includes a drive shaft and a drive gear. Each of the brackets have a plurality of detents or recessed positions that can receive one of the stud axles such that the spit rods are in a generally horizontal position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/217,944, filed Dec. 21, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to cooking devices, and moreparticularly to food supporting rotisserie spits that are used inbarbeque grills.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The benefits of rotisserie cooking have been uniquelydemonstrated by the introduction of the Showtime™ Rotisserie Oven. Thesebenefits include a healthy way of cooking, a tasty way of cooking and aneasy way of cooking. Each of these benefits is more completely describedin an earlier filed U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 09/217,944, whichis hereby incorporated by reference.

[0004] One type of rotisserie is fitted to outdoor grills. These devicesgenerally have a gear reduced electric motor powering a singlehorizontal spit rod. They also typically include stabilizers that areconnected to the spit rod to hold the food being cooked in place. Thesetypes of rotisseries have their shortcomings. In particular, these typesof rotisseries do not adequately support the food being cooked and theyare difficult to set up. Further, the screws used in securing thestabilizers frequently freeze and break. These shortcomings tend to makethe use of a rotisserie on a barbeque more difficult. This may explainwhy most barbeque grills are sold with a rotisserie accessory package,and why most barbeque grill owners do not own a rotisserie accessorypackage.

[0005] Thus, one of the many objects of the present invention is toprovide apparatus and methodology that simplifies and optimizes theexperience of rotisserie cooking on a barbeque grill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is a rotisserie spit kit adapted for use ona barbeque grill. The rotisserie spit assembly includes a spit rod, acircular set of geared teeth, and two stud axles. Preferably, theassembly includes two separate spit rods. The kit also includes twobrackets that can be mounted onto a conventional barbeque grill. The kitalso includes a motor that can be mounted onto one of the brackets torotate the rotisserie. The motor includes a drive shaft and a drivegear. Each of the brackets have a plurality of detents or recesses thatcan receive one of the stud axles such that the spit rods are in agenerally horizontal position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of thepresent inventions showing phantom lines for various glass doorpositions.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a section view of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG.1 as indicated in FIG. 8.

[0009]FIG. 3 is a broken out perspective view of the front lower rightcorner of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1 showing in phantomlines how the glass door is mounted.

[0010]FIG. 4 is a broken out perspective view of the front lower leftcorner of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1 showing in phantomlines how the glass door is mounted.

[0011]FIG. 5 is an enlarged section of FIG. 1 showing details of thetimer, control switch, heater indication light and the vents in the sidewall.

[0012]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the section shown in FIG. 2.

[0013]FIG. 7 is the same perspective view shown in FIG. 6 but with thespit plate removed and an alternative fan activated heat removal andcabinet cooling system installed.

[0014]FIG. 8 is a section taken through the alternative fan activatedpreferred embodiment shown in FIG. 7 as indicated in FIG. 7.

[0015]FIG. 9 is a detailed perspective view of the light used toilluminate the cooking interior of the preferred embodiments shown inFIGS. 1 through 6 with the translucent red lens shown in dotted lines.

[0016]FIG. 10 is an enlarged detail of FIG. 1 showing in greater detailthe upper left corner of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

[0017]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a preferred spit assemblyincluding a spit support platform.

[0018]FIG. 12 is a sectioned perspective view taken from below of thelid used on the warming/steaming tray unit showing ribbing used toprevent uncontrolled dripping of condensed liquids.

[0019]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the spit assembly shown in FIG.11 mounting a rotary cooking container.

[0020]FIG. 13A is a perspective view of an alternative rotary cookingcontainer to the one shown in FIG. 13 but which does not require aseparate spit assembly in order to operate.

[0021]FIG. 14 is a broken perspective section of a kabob rod showingwith phantom lines how it mounts into the spit plate.

[0022]FIG. 15 is a plan side view of the spit plate and kabob rod shownin FIG. 14 showing how the kabob rod is turned by the drive gear whenthe spit plate rotates.

[0023]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a food cooking basket showing inphantom lines how the lid for the basket is mounted.

[0024]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the food cooking basket shown inFIG. 16 with food contained within the basket and the basket mounted onthe spit assembly.

[0025]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an alternative spit supportplatform.

[0026]FIG. 19 shows the alternative spit support platform shown in FIG.18 being used to support spit mounted food including use of glovesspecifically designed for use in rotisseries.

[0027]FIG. 20 illustrates a barbeque grill with a rotisserie spitassembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention; and

[0028]FIGS. 21 and 22 are sectional views of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention shown in FIG. 20.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] An embodiment utilizing the present inventions comprises a metalenclosure 20 including an essentially horizontal metal floor 22 andmetal roof 24, a generally vertical metal back 26, and two essentiallyvertical side walls including a double paneled right side wall 28 and adouble paneled left side wall 30, and an inclined glass front door 32. Acurved metal section 34 containing louver vents 238 joins the generallyvertical metal back 26 to the essentially horizontal metal roof 24.

[0030] Two horizontal front-to-back running rod-like side rails 38 40,one located below the double paneled right side wall 28 and one disposedbelow the double paneled left side wall 30, support the metal enclosure20 and raise it off a countertop 42 or flat surface on which it mightrest. Four rubber feet 44, 46, 48 located on the bottom 52 of the siderails 38 40 keep the rails 38 40 from scratching countertops 42 and helpprevent the embodiment from skidding.

[0031] The side rails 38, 40 have lifting handles 54, 56 projecting fromtheir sides, one 54 projecting rightward from the right side rail 38,and one 56 projecting leftward from the left side rail 40. These liftinghandles 54, 56 allow the embodiment to be lifted and carried.

[0032] The side rails 38, 40 also incorporate two cord windingprojections 58, 60 extending rearward, one 58 from the back of the rightside rail 38 and one 60 from the back of the left side rail 40. Thesecord winding projections 58, 60 serve to wrap the cord for shorteningits length, or for storing the cord while carrying the embodiment orduring storage, or for other reasons. The cord winding projections 58,60 also keep the back 26 of the embodiment from directly contacting avertical back wall.

[0033] The glass front door 32 is essentially a single flat panel ofglass 64 with a round steel axle rod 66 held along its lower edge 68 bya “U” shaped channel 70 which is silicone glued to both the lower edge68 of the panel of glass 64 and the axle rod. This axle rod extendsoutward 72, 74 from both lower corners 76 78 of the panel of glass 64.

[0034] The rails 38, 40 provide tracks 81, 83 which engage and supportthe two ends 80, 82 of the round steel axle rod 66 which extendhorizontally from each lower corner of the lower edge 68 of the glassfront door 32, and this engagement with these tracks 81 83 controlsmovement of the glass front door 32 to pivot downward 84 from the door's32 closed position 85 and to slide under 87 the metal enclosure 20.

[0035] In the upper right corner 86 of the panel of glass 64 and theupper left corner 88, there are two handles 90, 92, one for each corner86, 88, which have rod-like grips 94, 96 which extend horizontallyoutward 72, 74 in opposite directions. By making the grips extendhorizontally instead of vertically, the overall height of the embodimentis minimized. This may be particularly advantageous in placing theembodiment below over counter cabinets or other overhead objects. Thehandle geometry is such that either handle 90, 92 or both handles 90, 92may be easily used to grip and open or close the glass door 32, or slideit 32 under 87 the metal enclosure 20 or hold the door for other reasonssuch as removal.

[0036] The inclined glass door 32 may be held closed 85 by gravityalone, requiring no other latching mechanism. Thus, when compared tocooking enclosures having latches, this preferred embodiment doorconstruction generally: reduces required assembly parts, simplifiesmanufacturing, makes manufacturing tolerances wider, and makes useroperation easier and more reliable.

[0037] When compared to a vertical glass door, the inclined glass door32 also typically permits more ambient light to enter the cooking cavityand allows viewing of food being cooked from a broader range of verticalangles, thus making viewing of the food being cooked easier and moreconvenient. This in turn makes it easier to determine cooking progressand turns cooking of rotisserie food into an entertaining and tastetantalizing show.

[0038] A light 98 mounted between the panels 99 101 of the doublepaneled right side wall 28 introduces additional light into the cookingcavity 104 and further adds to the food viewing advantages just stated.This light 98 has a frosted translucent glass cover 100 which is in acontiguous plane with the interior wall 101 of the double paneled rightside wall 28. This cover 100 separates the light bulb 98 from thecooking cavity 104. The light bulb 98 has a shiny metal reflector 106behind it which backs onto the outside wall 99 of the double paneledright side wall 28. The light 98 is wired to come on any time theembodiment's heat coil 110 is on.

[0039] A translucent red colored lens 112 penetrates the reflector 106located behind the light bulb 98 and penetrates the outside panel 99 ofthe double paneled right side wall 28. Light shines through this redcolored lens from the light 98 whenever the light bulb 98 and thus theheat coil 110 is on. This red colored lens 112 is visible on the outsideof the right side wall 99 and gives a clear visible indication of whenthe heat coil 110 is operating. Using a single light 98 to bothilluminate the interior of the cooking cavity 104, as well as giveindication on the outside of the embodiment of when the heat coil 110 isoperating, cuts down on required parts, simplifies embodimentconstruction, and increases embodiment reliability. Such a operationwarning light may also meet the requirements for an “on” indicator asset by safety regulatory bodies such as Underwriters Laboratories. Thelens color may also be changed, as an example to green, to match foreignsafety standards such as those established by TUV in Germany.

[0040] The glass door 32 is silk printed 114, 118 with trademark,decoration and safety markings. Such markings 114 may be printed intranslucent inks which may be back lit by illumination from the light 98mounted into the double paneled right side wall 28. Such glowing backlit markings 114 may be thus made to be much more visible and dramatic,especially in dark rooms, than similar common unlit markings.

[0041] Markings 114 on the panel of glass 64 may by placed to blockglare from light 98 mounted into the double paneled right side wall 28from shining into viewer's eyes thus making the embodiment more pleasantto look at due to less emitted light glare.

[0042] Markings 118 on the door 32 may match the color of the enclosuredoor 32 frame 116 which backs portions of the glass door 32 when thedoor 32 is closed 85. Such markings 118 when viewed against thebackground of the like colored enclosure frame 116 when the door 32 isclosed 85, may be virtually invisible. When the glass door 32 is lowered84, however, the markings 118 may become very visible. Thus a warningmarking such as “Caution-Hot Surface” 118 may be printed to appearmirror imaged and upside down over when it is virtually invisible whilethe door 32 is closed 85 and the marking 118 is displayed against thelike colored frame 116 background. When the door 32 is lowered 84 andopened 134, 87, however, the marking 118 may become clearly visible andappear in proper orientation, that is right side up and not mirrorimaged, reading correctly “Caution-Hot Surface”.

[0043] Any inclination past vertical may be used for the glass frontdoor 32, but an angle between five and twenty-five degrees has beenfound to be most advantageous for producing satisfactory door latchingand food viewing, as well as for conserving valuable countertop-space.Too flat a glass angle stretches out the bottom of the enclosure andconsumes an unacceptable amount of countertop space. Too steep a glassangle won't allow proper door latching and provides a poor view of foodsbeing cooked. Inclining the front of the enclosure increases theenclosure's footprint on a countertop and thus increases its stabilityand decreases any tendency to tip over or be accidentally moved.

[0044] This embodiment may be constructed at any scale. However, twosizes have been found to be particularly advantageous. For largefamilies, or for parties and entertaining, an enclosure with cookingcavity 104 interior dimensions between eleven and thirteen inches wideside to side, ten to twelve inches from the cooking cavity ceiling 142to the top of the drip pan 120, as explained later herein, and ten totwelve inches deep from the inside of the glass door 32 to the front ofthe heating rods 110, as explained later, as measured horizontallymidway between the ceiling 142 and the top of the drip pan 120. Whenconstructed at this scale, the embodiment can cook a fifteen poundturkey, or two six pound chickens. Fifteen pound turkeys are consideredamong the largest turkeys commonly sold around Thanksgiving andChristmas. And six pound chickens are among the largest commonly soldpopular chickens sold in U.S. supermarkets. Thus such a size meets theneeds of most large families or people who entertain.

[0045] A second advantageous size meets the needs of smaller families,people who live alone, or people with very small kitchens. For thesemarkets, a cooking cavity 104 with interior dimensions between nine andeleven inches wide, seven to nine inches from the cooking cavity ceilingto the top of the drip pan, and seven to nine inches deep from theinside of the glass door 32 to the front of the heating rods isparticularly advantageous. When constructed at this scale, theembodiment can cook a six pound chicken, or two three pound chickens.Three pound chickens are among the smallest commonly sold chickens. Thissize thus meets the needs of most smaller families or people who livealone.

[0046] The inclined glass front door 32 may rotate downward 84 andfollowing such rotation to an essentially horizontal position 85, slideunder 87 the metal enclosure 20 with glass front door's 32 axles 80 82engaging into the tracks 81, 83 in the two front-to-back side rails 38,40. In this slid-under position 87, the top 126 of the glass door 32 isheld off the countertop 42 by flat horizontal ribs 91, 93 in the siderails 38, 40. Also in the slid-under position 87, the glass door 32 isout of the way of foods being loaded into or removed from the cookingcavity 104. This is particularly advantageous when the door 32 is hotand user contact with it might cause burns.

[0047] Alternatively, the enclosure 20 may be placed on the edge 30 of acountertop 42 and the glass door 32 may be rotated below the countertop42 level 132 where it will also be out of the way of food loading andunloading.

[0048] As a third alternative, the glass door 32 may be opened 134 ontoa countertop by being rotated down 84 from its closed position 85 to thecountertop.

[0049] The glass front door 32 is also removable for cleaning, foodloading, or other purposes.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, this removal is accomplished by movingthe door's 32 left axle 82 out of engagement with the track 83 in theleft side rail 40 by sliding the axle 82 through a slot 138 located inthe front of the left side rail 40. After this, the right axle 80 ispulled out of engagement with the track 81 in the right side rail 38 bymoving the glass door 32 and the attached right axle 80 to the left 140,away from the right rail 38. Reinstalling the glass door 32 is done byreversing the above procedure.

[0051] Several advantages come from using what is essentially a singlepanel of glass 64 for the front door 32. First, unlike most other framedglass constructions, the door 32 may be washed in a dishwasher, or sink,or immersed in liquid.

[0052] Second, when compared to doors which have framed glass,construction is generally: simpler, has fewer parts, is less expensive,and is lighter in weight for comparable transparent viewing area.Appearance is also typically cleaner. And the viewing area isunsurpassed compared to most other constructions.

[0053] On top 142 of the metal enclosure 20 may rest a warming/steamingtray unit 144 comprising a lower heating pan 146, an intermediatesteaming tray 148 with holes 149 in its floor which rests down into thelower heating pan 146, and a warming tray lid 150 which caps andencloses both the lower heating pan 146 and the intermediate steamingtray 148.

[0054] This unit is supported by four frustum conical feet 152projecting from near each of the four corners of the bottom of the lowerheating pan 146, each of the feet 152 which rests into its own two levelinverted wedding cake shaped support indention 154 located near each ofthe corners of the roof 24 of the metal enclosure 20. Each foot 152 mayrest in the lower most level of each such indention 154 allowing directcontact between the roof 24 of the metal enclosure 20 and the floor 156of the lower heating pan 146; or each foot 152 may rest at the nextlevel up of each indention 154 providing an air space 158 between theroof 24 of the metal enclosure 20 and the floor of the lower heating pan146, thus lowering the temperature of the floor 156 of the lower heatingpan 146 and the temperature inside the warming/steaming tray unit 144.Such temperature control may be used in warming, cooking or steamingfoods or in any combination of these functions or other functions—i.e.steaming vegetables and then keeping them warm.

[0055] The warming/steaming tray unit 144 may be used to warm, cook orsteam foods, either simultaneous with rotisserie cooking or independentof it. And it may perform these functions either with or without theintermediate steaming tray 148 in place, and either with or without thewarming tray lid 150 in place.

[0056] Handles 160 on either side of the heating pan 146 make it easy tolift the entire warming/steaming tray unit 144, with or without theintermediate streaming tray 148, and with or without the warming traylid 150 in place. As an extra measure of convenience, the placement ofthe warming/steaming tray feet 152 is symmetrical both front to back andside to side thus allowing the user to place it 144 on top of the metalenclosure 20 with a given heating pan handle 160 on the right side or onthe left side of the metal enclosure 20.

[0057] Water may be placed in the lower heating pan 146 and theintermediate steaming tray 148 put in place to facilitate the steamingof vegetables or other foods.

[0058] When foods are being steamed or when moist foods are being heatedin the warming/steaming tray unit 144, droplets of water generallycondense on the warming tray lid 150. These droplets may present asafety hazard when the user lifts off the lid because the droplets maybe hot and tend to run to the side of the lid 150 and drop onto the userwhen the lid is lifted and tilted. As shown in FIG. 12, to help preventthis from happening, the lid 150 has several concentric “V” shaped ribs151 on the underside of its top surface. When the lid 150 is lifted andtilted, water droplets on this surface begin to run to the side of thelid 150. En route to the side of the lid 150, most of the water dropletscross the concentric “V” shaped ribs 151 and drop safely back into theintermediate steaming tray 148 or lower heating pan 146, thus preventingburns which might occur if the “V” shaped ribs 151 were not present andthe hot water droplets dripped onto the embodiment user.

[0059] The warming tray lid 150 may be constructed of any of manysuitable materials. It would be advantageous for it 150 to betranslucent or transparent so cooking or steaming progress as well asthe food being cooked could be observed without removing the lid 150.Glass or plastics such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, or Ultem™ fromGE Plastics might be suitable for use in constructing the lid 150 asexamples.

[0060] The warming tray lid 150 has a handle 153 in the center of itsoutside top surface to help in its use. This handle 153 is textured tohelp prevent slippage.

[0061] Within the metal enclosure 20, resting on its floor 22, is a drippan 120 which mounts inside it, and is covered by, a grate cover 162.The drip pan 120 collects grease, oil, and liquid which come from thefood being rotisserie cooked.

[0062] The grate cover 162 is a metal cover perforated with slots 163which reduces splashing, and smoke, and flares from liquids from therotisserie cooked foods splashing and hitting heat coils 110 and otherhot surfaces, and diminishes the risk fire from hot grease and oilinside which has dripped from rotisserie cooking food into the drip pan120 becoming overheated and igniting.

[0063] The drip pan 120 and capping grate cover 162 may be pulled out164 to facilitate their own cleaning, or the embodiment's interiorcleaning, or for other purposes.

[0064] The grate cover 162 and underlying drip pan 120 both tend to getdirty during rotisserie cooking. In the preferred embodiment, both arecovered on their upper sides with a nonstick coating similar to thatused in nonstick fry pans. Such coating greatly reduces cleanup,particularly on the grate cover 162 which may get grease, oil andresidue dripped on it while simultaneously being exposed to high heatfrom the heat coil 110 which bakes the drippings on.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 2, the drip pan 120 may be pulled out part way166 to prevent grease and oil from dripping onto counter tops or theglass front door 32 when food is being prepared for cooking in the spittrack rest position 168, as explained later, or when food is beingremoved from the metal enclosure 20 after cooking.

[0066] Adding to user convenience, the grate cover 162 and drip pan 120are each square, thus allowing the user to place the grate cover 162 inthe drip pan 120 with any given corner of the grate cover 162 resting inany corner of the drip pan 120, and allowing the drip pan 120 to beplaced in the metal enclosure 20 with any of its four corners resting inany corner of the metal enclosure 20.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 11, the embodiment's spit assembly 170 comprisesa first metal spit plate 172 and a second metal spit plate 174. Thefirst metal spit plate 172 has two sharpened cylindrical spit rods 176,178 attached at right angles to it. This first metal spit plate 172 iscircular in outline with gear teeth 180 on its periphery and eightevenly spaced essentially round kabob holes 182 penetrating it justinside of and adjacent to the gear teeth 180. These kabob holes 182 arefor supporting kabob rods 184 as explained later.

[0068] The center of the first metal plate 172 is frustum conicallyindented away from the projecting attached spit rods with a stub axle186 projecting from the back bottom center of the plate's 172 frustumconical indent.

[0069] The stub axle 186 has circular grooves 188 cut into itscylindrical periphery. These grooves 188 help to prevent squeaking fromthe stub axles rubbing against their support tracks 198, 200, describedlater, when the spit assembly 170 is rotating.

[0070] The second metal spit plate 174 is the mirror image of the firstmetal spit plate 172 except in place of the two attached spit rods 176,178 it has two short spit rod support tubes 192 attached. These tubes192 receive, and hold by an overlapping friction fit, the sharpened endsof the two spit rods 176, 178.

[0071] Foods are secured to the spit simply by running one or both ofthe two sharpened spit rods 176, 178 through the food and then cappingthe rods by pushing the tubes 192 in the second spit plate 174 over thesharpened ends of the spit rods 176, 178 projecting from the first spitplate 172. The food is then easily inserted into the embodiment asexplained later.

[0072] The spit assembly 170 of this embodiment has several advantagesover other available spit assemblies. It's compact and efficient in theuse of space both inside and outside the cooking cavity 104. Because thespit assembly 170 is placed straight into the cooking cavity withoutangling or sliding into a drive socket, and because no drive forks orother space robbing mechanisms are required to hold even large and heavypieces of food, almost the entire length of the spit rods 176, 178,which run almost the full width of the cooking cavity 104 from theinterior left oven wall 103 to the interior right oven wall 101, may beused to cook food. Other available spit rods, because they must beangled into place and slid into a drive socket are far less efficient incooking space utilization.

[0073] Also, with the spit rods 176, 178 on the preferred embodimentthere is no loss of space outside the cooking cavity 104 while foods arebeing loaded into or are being cooked in the cooking cavity 104. Otheravailable spit rods have handles which project beyond their cookingenclosure and waste valuable counter space.

[0074] The spit assembly 170 on this embodiment, as explained earlier,with its dual spit rod 176, 178 design, holds foods more firmly thanother single spit rod designs. This advantage means that even heavy andlarge foods rotate solidly with the spit assembly 170 and don't becomeloose and flop or fall off the rods 176, 178. On other spit rod designs,foods tend to shift while rotating and become loose and fall off thespit rods when this looseness bores a hole through the food beingcooked.

[0075] The spit assembly 170 on the preferred embodiment, as explainedin more detail later herein, also integrates the mounting ofself-rotating kabob rods into its design. Many other spit rod designsdon't even plan for the mounting of non-rotating kabob rods.

[0076] And the spit assembly 170 on the preferred embodiment, as alsoexplained in more detail later herein, also allows for the easy andsolid mounting of other cooking accessories such as cooking baskets 270.Other spit rods designs may make no such provisions.

[0077] The spit assembly 170 on the preferred embodiment makes foodmounting easy. The food is simply pushed onto the two relatively skinnyand sharp spit rods 176, 178, the second spit plate 174 slid into place,and the assembly, food and all, is placed directly into the cookingcavity 104. Other designs have thicker spit rods which are moredifficult to shove through foods, and these designs may require hard touse accessories, such as mounting forks, to secure the foods fromrotating independently of the spit while cooking, and placing foods intotheir cooking enclosures is more difficult, as explained in the nextparagraph.

[0078] The spit assembly 170 on the preferred embodiment is easy andintuitive to load into the cooking cavity 104. The assembly 170 issimply shoved directly into the cooking cavity without angling or havingto align its end with and slide it into a drive socket. Other designswith drive sockets or other complicated drive means are far moredifficult to use.

[0079] And foods are easy to unload from the preferred embodiment's spitassembly 170. The assembly 170 is simply slide straight out of thecooking cavity 104, the second spit plate 174 easily removed, and thefoods slid off the two rods 176, 178. Other spit rods are difficult toremove from their cooking enclosures, some requiring the attachment ofhandles or lifting devices, and/or angling to uncouple drive mechanisms,and may require the additional steps of removal of accessories, such asfood mounting forks.

[0080] The spit assembly 170 on the preferred embodiment may be mountedcloser to the cooking heat source 110 to speed cooking of smaller foods.Other spit rod designs don't offer this feature.

[0081] Cleaning of the spit rods 176, 178 is enhanced by nonstickcoating, similar to that used in nonstick fry pans, covering theirsurfaces which contact food during cooking. The ends of the spit rodsmay be left uncoated to facilitate the easy insertion of the rods 176,178 into the spit rod support tubes 192.

[0082] To facilitate food loading onto the spit assembly, a spit supportbase 194 is supplied with the preferred embodiment. This spit supportbase 194 can hold the first spit plate 172 with its spit rods 176, 178projecting directly upward. In this position, foods can be easily loadedonto the spit rods 176, 178 by lowering the foods onto the pointed endsof the rods 176 178.

[0083] In addition, the spit support base 194 can be used to help inserving. In this capacity, the support base 194, possibly after beingplaced on top of a plate, can hold foods skewered on the verticallydisposed spit rods 176, 178 while the food is being removed from thespit rods 176, 178 or while the food is being carved.

[0084] A variant 196 of the spit support base 194 shown in FIGS. 18 and19 expands the diameter of the support base 194 and allows the expandeddiameter support base 196 to be used for all of the original 194 supportbase's functions plus it may be used as a serving plate for foods eithernot skewered or positioned on vertically supported spit rods 176, 178.In addition, this larger variant 196 may eliminate any need for a platewhen the support base is used as a serving platform holding the spitassembly 170 with its rods 176, 178 disposed vertically.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 19, this spit support base variant 196 may alsobe used to help load and unload foods into and from the embodiment.Here, the support base 196 is placed under the food, and the supportbase 196 along with the food which it supports is lifted and moved toload the food into, or remove the food from, the enclosure 20.

[0086] Similarly, any dish shaped device might be used to help load andunload food to and from the enclosure 20. Such a shape is enhanced forthis use if its perimeter is raised in a manner similar to that found ona soup bowl. Such a raised perimeter helps better support the foodsbeing inserted into or removed from the enclosure 20 and more reliablyholds liquids which may drip form such foods.

[0087] Either the original 194 or the variant 196 spit support base maybe used to keep the spit assembly 170 from rolling on a countertop.Here, one of the spit plates 172, 174 is placed into either an uprightor inverted spit support base 194, 196 resting on the countertop whichthus prevents the spit assembly 170 from rolling by providing a stableindention, i.e. either the top face or bottom face of the support base194, 196 resting flat on the counter, in which one of the round spitplates 172, 174 may rest.

[0088] Because there are two spit rods 176, 178, foods may be penetratedby both rods 176, 178 and thus the foods may be securely held andprevented from spinning independent of the spit assembly's 170 rotation,or prevented from dropping off the spit assembly 170. This compares toconventional single rod spit designs which tear holes in food becauseall the food's weight is supported on a single rod. Foods supported onsuch single rods may break loose and fail to turn as the spit turnsbecause of inadequate tortional support engagement between the spit andthe food. Foods may also fall off of single spit rods due to inadequateweight distribution and support, and because food movement notsynchronized with the spit tends to tear holes in the foods whichresults in the foods tearing loose of the spit.

[0089] In addition, many single spit rods use clamped-on support forkspositioned at each end of the spit rod supported food to compensate forfood tearing and spinning independently of the spit assembly. Thesesupport forks frequently cause further problems by being difficult andinconvenient to install and remove as well as by shortening the lengthof food that can fit on the spit rods because of the space the supportforks consume.

[0090] Once the spit 170 is fully assembled with the food skewered onthe spit rods 176, 178 and the tubes 192 projecting from the secondmetal spit plate slid over and capping the pointed ends of the spit rods176, 178 orthogonally projecting from the first metal spit plate 172,the spit assembly 170 is ready to be loaded into the embodimentenclosure 20.

[0091] The double paneled right side wall 28 and the double paneled leftside wall 30 each contain an indented spit support track 198 200 ontheir interior panels 101, 103. In the preferred embodiment, the spitsupport track 200 on the interior panel 103 of the left double paneledside wall 30 is a mirror image of the spit support track 198 on theinterior panel 101 of the right double paneled side wall 28.

[0092] These two spit support tracks 198, 200 engage the stub axles 186on the spit plates 172, 174 when the spit assembly 170 is slid into theenclosure 20. The tracks 198, 200 allow the spit assembly 170, includingany spit accessories or any food thereon, to slide in and out of theenclosure 20. In addition, each track 198 200 has three axle positioningindents 168, 122, 202 which can support and hold the stub axles 186, andthus the spit assembly 170. in specific track 198, 200 locations.

[0093] The first 168 of these axle positioning indents 168, 122, 202 islocated on each track 198 200 adjacent to the door 32 opening. Thisindent 168 is referred to as the rest position and has severalfunctions. First, when loading or unloading food from the embodiment, itmay be first rested in this position 168 where a better grip may beobtained on the food or where it simply may be rested. It also serves asthe first location to catch the spit assembly 170 as it's being loadedinto the embodiment, and the last location to catch the spit assembly170 before it leaves.

[0094] It also serves as an area to prepare food. As an example, in therest position 168 foods can be centered on the spit rod, or ties tosecure the wings and legs on a chicken might be readjusted, or barbequesauce can be brushed on a chicken or baby back ribs, or seasoningsapplied to other foods.

[0095] When the rest position 168 is being used for food preparation, itmay be advantageous to pull the drip pan 120 and attached grate cover162 to their part way out position 166, as explained earlier, to keepfoods and preparations from dripping or dropping onto the countertop orglass door.

[0096] The rest position 168 on each spit support track 198, 200 isbacked by an upwardly inclined track portion 204. This inclined track204, combined with the large open front throat of the track and restposition 168, makes it easy to catch the spit assembly 170 and hold itin the rest position 168 when it's inserted into the enclosure 20, andit makes it obvious that the spit assembly 170 has been caught in therest position 168 when it is being removed from the enclosure 20.

[0097] The tracks' 198, 200 lowered front portions allows foods to duckunder the enclosure's roof 24 front overhang 206, thus allowing largerfoods to be loaded into the enclosure 20. The roof 24 front overhang 206is necessary to give strength to the front of the roof 24, and withoutlowering the front of the track, the size of the foods which might beloaded into the enclosure 20 could be reduced and be smaller than thecapacity of the enclosure 20 itself.

[0098] When the spit assembly 170 is being loaded into the enclosure 20,the assembly 170 first passes the rest position 168, then the inclinedtrack portion 204, and next it comes to the low heat position 122 whereits stub axles 186 can be engaged by gravity into a detent 168, 122, 202and rotate. In the low heat position 122 the gear teeth 180 on theperimeter of the spit plate closest to the right side inner side wall101 engage a motor driven drive gear 208 which penetrates into theenclosure through the right side inner side wall 101. The spit assembly170 and any spit accessories or food thereon, may be rotated by thismotor driven drive gear 208 in front of the embodiment's rear heatingelement 110, which is described later herein.

[0099] A quick and easy method of tying up loose parts of foods to berotisserie cooked has been found using the spit support track 200, timer222 and control switch 224. As an example wings and legs on chickens,ducks and turkeys can be easily secured using this method. First, theend of a length of string is secured to a wing, leg or other part of thefowl using a simple wrap or a slip knot as examples. In the alternative,the end of the string might be indirectly secured to the fowl bysecuring the string to the spit assembly 170. This might be done whilethe fowl is supported on the spit assembly 170 in the spit support track200 rest position 168 or while the fowl is outside the embodiment. Next,the spit assemble is moved back to either the low heat 122 or high heat202 spit support track 200 position. The control switch 224 is thenturned to the “no heat rotation” 252 position and the timer turned on.As the fowl rotates, the string automatically wraps around the fowl'sloose parts thus securing them. Once secured, the timer is turned off,the string is cut, and its end tied or wrapped or otherwise secured tothe fowl on a wing, leg or other part. In the alternative again, the cutend of the string might be indirectly secured to the fowl by securingthe end to the spit assembly 170.

[0100] The direction of spit assembly 170 rotation is important inproducing satisfactory cooking results. The embodiment's heating element110 is located half way up, and directly adjacent to, the back 26 wallof the enclosure 20. The drive gear 208 rotates the spit assembly 170 sofood rotate 175 from the top of the enclosure 20 down to directly infront of the heating element 110 and then down to the bottom of theenclosure where the food rotates 175 back to the top of the enclosure 20while the food faces away from the heating element 110. Reversing thisrotation 175 has been found to result in smoke, small flare-ups and lesstasty food.

[0101] The speed of spit assembly rotation has also been found to beimportant in producing rotisserie cooked foods with generally superiortaste and texture. The preferred embodiment has a spit assembly 170rotation speed of between 3.5 and 5 rpm. This is typically faster thanmost home rotisseries operate

[0102] The low heat position 122 may support large foods up to thecapacity of the enclosure 20. However, it may also support foods of anysize including smaller sized foods. In some cases the low heat position122 may be desirable to cook smaller foods slower as an example.

[0103] Rotisserie cooking in the preferred embodiment differs in severalways from conventional oven cooking. First, in conventional oven cookingthe food remains stationary and is cooked by hot air. In the preferredembodiment, food is rotated about a horizontal axis and is cooked by acombination of both radiant energy coming directly from the heat coil110 and air heated by the heat coil 110. Radiant energy is generallymore efficient than hot air in conveying cooking energy to food and thustypically gets foods hotter quicker.

[0104] However without food rotation, radiant energy tends to dry outand burn foods as is the case in most conventional oven broilers. Also,without food rotation, radiant energy tends to cook grease and oil intofoods, and particularly into meats.

[0105] Rotisserie cooking in the preferred embodiment is generallyquicker than conventional oven cooking. This is partly due to theefficiency of radiant energy heating and also due to food movement whichhelps break the air boundary layer around foods being cooked and thusspeeds hot air heat transfer to foods in a similar manner to fan drivenhome convection bake ovens.

[0106] Cooking speed is also increased because foods are alternatelysuper heated on their surfaces as they pass directly in front of theheating coil and then the heat is allowed to soak into the foods as theyrotate away from the heating coil.

[0107] Natural expansion and contraction as foods heat and cool duringrotation also helps speed the cooking process and lower cooking times.

[0108] Directly behind and above the low heat track position 122, is thehigh heat track position 202. Again, the stub axles 186 of the spitassembly 170 may be pushed back, raised and rested into this position.In this position the gear teeth 180 in the perimeter of the spit plateclosest to the right side inner side wall 101 may engage the drive gear208 and the spit assembly 170 may be thus power rotated. Smaller foodsmay be rotated closer to the heating element 110 in the high heat trackposition 202 which may greatly reduce such smaller foods' cooking times.

[0109] Inserting the spit assembly 170 into the preferred embodimentrequires only resting it on the left and right spit support tracks 200198 and lifting and pushing it back into the enclosure 20 to the desireduse position 168, 122, 202, be it the rest position 168, the low heatposition 122 or the high heat position 202.

[0110] Removing the spit assembly 170 from the high heat track position202, the low heat track position 122, or from the rest track position168, requires only lifting and pulling the spit assembly 170 toward thefront of the enclosure 20.

[0111] This easy insertion of the spit assembly 170 into, and simpleremoval of the spit assembly 170 from, the embodiment enclosure 20 is inmarked contrast to most other rotisseries which typically requireangling the spit rod assembly into its cooking position and carefullyfitting one of the spit assembly's ends into a drive socket.

[0112] Use of the relatively large diameter spit plates 172, 174 as thefinal reduction gear in the motor rotational speed reducing gear traindriving the spit assembly 170 has several advantages when compared withtypical rotisserie drives which use a gear box terminated by a drivesocket directly coupled to the spit rod.

[0113] The spit plate's 172, 174 large outer diameter gear 180 greatlyreduces the play and backlash in the motor speed reduction gear drivetrain caused when off-center weighted foods are rotated. In thissituation the motor pushes off-center foods uphill until the off-centerweight swings over the top of center and then moves downhill constrainedby the drag of the motor. The shift from the motor pulling the fooduphill to the motor constraining the food's movement downhill causes ashock load on all the gears in the gear reduction train, andparticularly on the final drive gears, as any free movement, or play,between the gears in the gear train shifts with the full power of theoff-center weighted foods behind it.

[0114] Typical final drive gears found in rotisserie drive trains areone-tenth or less of the diameter of the spit plate's outer gear teeth180 and thus generally are far less durable, have far more play, and putfar more load on both the spit and attached food, and on the rest of thereduction drive gear train itself. This in turn may result in shortermotor and gear life, food disengaging from and falling off of the spitrod, and unacceptable levels of noise and vibration.

[0115] The speed reduction between the drive gear 208 and the gear teeth180 on the spit plate 172, 174 is ten-to-one in the preferred embodimentbut may be greater or less depending on the desired diameter of the spitplate and the coarseness needed in the gear teeth. In the preferredembodiment, such a high gear reduction outside of the gear transmission210 attached to the gear reduced motor 212 means that fewer and lessdurable, which may translate to less expensive, gears may be used insidethe gear transmission 210 attached to the gear reduced motor 212.

[0116] And by eliminating the drive socket which is generally used toattach the spit assembly to the final drive gear of the motor speedreducing gear transmission, any play in the socket engagement with thespit assembly or any binding in inserting or removing the spit assemblyinto and from the drive socket are eliminated

[0117] Both the first 172 and the second spit plates 174 each have eightevenly spaced kabob holes 182 penetrating their structure just insidetheir perimeter gear teeth 180. These holes 182 are designed to hold theends of self rotating kabob rods 184. Each kabob hole 182 is essentiallycircular hole passing through the spit plate 172, 174 with four evenlyspaced semicircular lobes 214 carved into its perimeter.

[0118] Engaging these kabob holes 182 are self-rotating kabob rods 184.Each kabob rod 184 has a pointed end 216, and an end with a drive cam218 and retaining spring 220. The kabob rods 184 work by the spitassembly 170 first being put together with the spit rod holding tubes192 on the second spit plate 174 being pushed over the pointed ends ofthe two spit rods 176 178 projecting from the first spit plate 172.

[0119] Each kabob rod 184 to be used is then loaded with food byskewering the food onto the kabob rod 184 using its pointed end 216. Anynumber of kabob rods 184 may be used at any one time, from one up to thespit assembly's 170 capacity of eight.

[0120] To insert a kabob rod 184 onto the spit assembly 170, the pointedend 216 of the kabob rod 184 is inserted through a kabob hole 182 in thespit plate 172, 174 which will be closest to the inner panel 103 ofdouble paneled left wall 30. Then the rod 184 is backed into an opposinghole 182 in the other spit plate 172 174 where the retaining spring 220,as its widest 183 part passes through the kabob hole, snaps and retainsthe kabob rod 184 from side to side movement away from or toward eitherspit plate 172, 174 similar to the way a clothing snap works. Thisinsertion process is easy and intuitive and is repeated for each kabobrod 184 to be used.

[0121] Insertion of the kabob rods 184 onto the spit assembly 170 may bedone while the spit assembly 170 is outside of the enclosure 20 or whileit is placed in a track position inside the enclosure 20, such, as anexample, as being placed in the rest position 168.

[0122] The spit assembly 170 with attached kabob rods 184 is theninserted into the low heat track position 122, and the embodiment turnedon by setting the cooking time on the timer 222 and turning the controlswitch 224 to the “Normal Heat Rotation” position.

[0123] As shown in FIG. 15, each 350 degree rotation 175 of the spitassembly 170 causes each kabob rod 184 to be rotated 177 one-quarterturn by the kabob rod's 184 drive cam 218 being rotated by the spitplate 172, 174 into the drive gear 208 which forces one of the kabobrod's cam 218 arms striking the drive gear 208 to move and consequentlycauses the one-quarter turn rotation of the kabob rod 184.

[0124] The four lobes 214 in each of the spit plate 172, 174 kabob holes182 help stop each kabob rod 184 at even one-quarter turn intervals, andalso help prevent a kabob rod 184 from rotating in its kabob hole 182when it is not being driven by the drive gear 208 pushing on the kabobrod cam 218.

[0125] This kabob rod 184 automatic rotation results in all sides of thekabob rod cooked food being cooked evenly, unlike in most rotisseriekabob cooking where one side of the kabob food gets cooked more than theopposite side.

[0126] The kabob rods 184 on the preferred embodiment are better thanothers commonly available for several reasons. First, they 184 mayautomatically rotate, as explained above, which cooks kabob foods moreevenly on all sides than non-rotating rods.

[0127] Second, one, or up to the spit wheel's capacity of eight kabobrods, can be in use at any time. Some kabob rods require the entiretransport wheel to be loaded with kabob rods in order to operate.

[0128] Third, the rods 184 can be inserted or removed while the rods 184are inside the cooking cavity 104. Many kabob rods require a lot ofspace to be inserted or removed from their transport wheel, and thusthey could not be inserted and removed from inside a confined cookingspace.

[0129] Next, the rods 184 are very efficient in space utilization andallow foods to be placed along most of the rod's 184 entire length.Along with this, the rod's 184 means of attaching to their transportwheels 172, 174 is compact and therefor allows more room for cookingfoods with less wasted space for attachment to the transport wheels 172,174. Many kabob rods use a substantial portion of their length forcoupling which limits their cooking space.

[0130] And the kabob rods 184 intuitively snap into place which makesthem easy to use. This also generally removes the need for userinstructions. Many kabob rods have complicated coupling mechanisms whichare both difficult to use and require detailed user instructions.

[0131] The rods 184 offer the ability for each rod 184 to automaticallyrotate or remain stationary at the user's discretion and in anycombination (i.e. 3 rotating and 2 remaining stationary allsimultaneously) simply by the user facing the rod's cam 218 toward oraway from the drive gear 208 side of the cooking cavity 104. Thisfeature is not found on other kabob rod designs.

[0132] And when the rods 184 are stationary, bacon, slabs of baby backribs or other foods may be wrapped around and clipped to the rods indrum-like fashion for fast even cooking.

[0133] As most clearly shown in FIG. 8, directly adjacent to, andapproximately half way up the back 26 of the enclosure 20 of thepreferred embodiment, is a serpentine shaped electric heat coil 110.This coil 110 winds back and forth across the back 26 of the enclosure20 creating four straight heat rods 226 terminated by three “U” turns228 and two rods passing through the enclosure's right side interiorwall. The coil is supported on its right and left ends by supportbrackets 230, 232 which slide over the “U” turns 228 in the coil andposition it to allow for expansion and contraction as the coil heats andcools, while maintaining the coil's correct position.

[0134] This heat coil 110, unlike heating elements in conventional ovenswhich turn on and off under thermostatic control, may remain constantlyon during cooking. This minimizes cooking times and simplifiesembodiment construction when compared to rotisseries which cycle on andoff while cooking. Alternatively the heat coil 110 may bethermostatically controlled and forgo these advantages.

[0135] Through the constantly on heat coil 110, the embodiment iscontinuously heating air inside the enclosure 20, and is constantlyradiating cooking energy. By being constructed to have a heating element110 which remains constantly on and thus having no thermostat, thepreferred embodiment obviates the need for safety devices such as safetythermostats and thermal fuses designed to protect the device if a userset thermostat should fail. This further simplifies construction of theembodiment when compared to most conventional oven constructions.

[0136] Some rotisseries place their heating elements or sources of heatbelow the spit. This may create safety problems from grease fires andflare ups. When grease, oil and residue collected in drip receptaclesbelow the spit become overheated from a heating source located below thespit, smoke and fires can result. When grease, oil or other residue dripor splash onto heating elements, other heat sources, or other hotsurfaces, fire and smoke can also result. Heat sources located below thespit also tend to raise the overall height of the rotisserie which maybe a problem when it is used in kitchens with cabinets located overtheir countertops.

[0137] Some enclosed rotisseries place their heating source above thespit assembly. These elements, due to their locations, and because bothradiant and convection heat given off by the elements tends to rise, aregenerally less efficient than heat sources placed lower in the cookingenclosure 20. This high position also tends to raise the overall heightof the rotisserie which may be a problem when they are used in kitchenswith cabinets located over their countertops. This problem is compoundedby top mounted heating sources superheating the top of the cookingenclosure 20 which in turn may cause heat damage to over-countercabinets. Such superheating may also create heat and fire safetyhazards.

[0138] Both low and roof mounted heating elements, because they may havetheir heat sources located near the middle or front of the rotisserie,may create an increased potential for users burning their hands wheninserting and removing foods from the rotisserie enclosure when comparedto a back mounted heating element.

[0139] By this embodiment placing its heating element in the back 26 ofthe enclosure 20, risk is minimized that a user will burn themselves onthe element 110 or element heated hot surfaces.

[0140] By this embodiment placing its heating element mid way betweenthe floor 22 and ceiling 24 of the embodiment enclosure 20, problems ofboth low and high mounted heat sources are overcome. As an example, thismid way heating element 110 location helps minimize the overall heightof the embodiment, and greatly reduces any chance of smoke and firesfrom the contents of the drip pan becoming overheated or from grease,oil or other residues splashing onto heat coil 110 or heat coil warmedhot surfaces.

[0141] When compared to roof mounted heat elements, this mid locationalso reduces the temperature of the roof 24 of the embodiment, thusreducing the risk of heat damage to over-counter cabinets and the riskof burning users on the roof 24

[0142] This mid location in the preferred embodiment is also generallymore efficient in conveying cooking energy than heat coils mounted abovethe spit assembly 170.

[0143] This mid location, when compared to heat elements located aboveor below the spit which generally are closer to the front of theenclosure, also tends to reduce the temperature on the outside of thefront door 32, including the front door 32 glass, which in turn reducesthe risk a user will burn themselves on these surfaces.

[0144] The mid heat element 110 location in general, when compared toheat element locations above or below the spit assembly, reduces alltemperatures on the forward exterior of the enclosure 20 where users aremost likely to come in contact and potentially burn themselves. This ingeneral reduces user safety hazards both directly from burningthemselves on the enclosure 20 or from accidents, such as accidentallydropping hot food, after unintentional contact with such hot enclosure20 surfaces.

[0145] Located directly behind the heating element 110, and held inplace by the left 230 and right 232 heater element support brackets, isa removable cleaning shield 234. During rotisserie cooking, grease, oiland residue may be splattered off food as the food becomes heated infront of the heating element 110. Thus the area behind and adjacent tothe heating element 110 tends to get dirty. Heat from the heatingelement 110 bakes on the grease, oil and residue and makes cleanupdifficult.

[0146] The cleaning shield 234 may be coated with a nonstick ceramiccoating similar to that used in many of today's nonstick fry pans. Thiscoating is medium gray in color and thus tends not to show when it isdirty.

[0147] However, when it becomes dirty, the cleaning shield 234 is easyto clean simply by gripping the shield 234 by its bent-over top edge 236and pulling it up and forward 235 and out of the enclosure 20. Once thusremoved, the shield 234 may be washed in a sink or dishwasher.Reinserting the cleaning shield 234 is accomplished by reversing theremoval process.

[0148] By being behind and adjacent to the heating element 110, thecleaning shield 234 receives radiant heat from the element 110. Whencompared to a shiny surface cleaning shield placed behind the heatingelement 110, the medium gray ceramic coating on the cleaning shield 234has been found to cook foods as fast or even faster than their shinycounterparts.

[0149] Although definitive tests have not been performed to prove thetheory, it appears there are two reasons for this unexpected cookingefficiency. First, the medium gray ceramic nonstick coated cleaningshield 234 gets hotter than a similar shiny cleaning shield. This inturn raises the interior air temperature of the enclosure 20 which inturn reduces cooking times.

[0150] Second, radiant energy striking the medium gray ceramic nonstickcoated cleaning shield is reradiated at a lower infrared frequency thanradiant energy striking a shiny cleaning shield. This lower frequencytends to absorb quicker and deeper into foods which in turn results inshorter cooking times.

[0151] These same cook time reducing features can be found with othercleaning shield coatings. As an example, self-cleaning oven interiorcoatings similar to those found in the DeLonge Alfredo Toaster Ovenwhich today is widely available in U.S. department stores such asRobinson-May and Macy's, show similar advantages and require even lesscleanup than nonstick ceramic coatings.

[0152] The nonstick ceramic coating on the cleaning shield 234, by notreadily showing when it is dirty, reduces the amount of cleaning thatthe cleaning shield 234 requires. This same coating, when compared toother surfaces, makes cleaning the shield much easier. Cleaning ease isalso greatly enhanced by the cleaning shield 234 being easy to removefrom and reinsert into the enclosure 20.

[0153] As mentioned earlier, the heating element 110 in the preferredembodiment remains constantly on during rotisserie cooking which createshot air which must be safely vented from the enclosure's 20 interior.

[0154] Directly behind the heat shield 234, on the curved center wallsection 34 connecting the back 26 of the enclosure 20 to the roof 24 ofthe enclosure 20, are upward facing vents 238. These vents 238 allow airheated by the constantly operating heating element to escape theenclosure's 20 interior. These louvered vents 238 are indented inwardwith their openings at the top of the indent.

[0155] This arrangement of upward facing louvers 238 reduces potentialheat damage to overhead cabinets when compared to more conventionalindented louvers with their openings at the bottom of the indent. Thisis because hot air must first rise above the louver 238 and then exit bydropping down into the louver 238 opening rather than simply risingdirectly through the louver opening.

[0156] Forcing the hot air to first rise and then drop, reduces itsvelocity and creates turbulence which breaks up potentially damagingconcentrated streams of fast moving exiting hot air.

[0157] Placing the vents 238 on the curved wall section 34 connectingthe back 26 of the enclosure 20 with the enclosure's roof 24, whencompared to placing the vents on the back 26 or the roof 24 of theenclosure 20, helps hot air exit away from backing walls the embodimentmight be placed against, or exit away from overhead cabinets theembodiment might be placed under. Exiting hot air also tends to followalong the curved wall section 34 breaking away slowly and this furtherdisperses hot air concentration.

[0158] There are gaps 240, 242, 244, 246 between the glass door 32 andthe frame 116 it rests against on all four sides of the door 32. Thegaps on the lower side of the glass door 32 generally allow cool air toenter the enclosure's 20 interior, and the gaps around the upper sectionof the glass door 32 generally allow hot air to exit from inside theenclosure 20. This air movement helps control interior enclosure 20temperatures which might otherwise rise to unacceptable levels due tothe heat element 110 remaining constantly on during rotisserie cooking.

[0159] The gaps 240, 242 between the door frame 116 and the glass door32 are exceptionally wide on both the left 242 and right 240 sides ofthe glass door 32. Hot air exiting out these left 242 and right 240 sidegaps is dispersed and broken up by these exceptionally wide gaps 240,242 being inclined with the glass door 32 which help form the side gaps240, 242. Such dispersion and breakup of the hot air rising from theinclined side gaps 240 242 helps prevent heat damage to overheadcabinets which the embodiment might be placed under.

[0160] The interior temperature of the enclosure 20 is controlled by theventing already described both on the curved wall 34 connecting the back26 wall of the enclosure 20 with the roof 24 of the enclosure 20 and theventing from the gaps 240, 242, 244 246 surrounding the door. Anequilibrium is reached involving the cooking energy supplied by heatingelement 110, a cooling affect from the cooler temperature of the foodbeing cooked, the amount of venting, and the ambient air temperature ofthe room in which the embodiment is operating. In the final stages offood cooking the preferred embodiment is engineered to produce an airtemperature measured near the center of the enclosure's 20 interior ofaround 250 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Such a temperature, when comparedto both warmer and cooler cooking temperatures, has been found toproduce exceptionally satisfactory results in rotisserie cooked foodtaste and texture.

[0161] An alternate form of controlling cooking temperatures is shown inFIGS. 7 and 8. Here the shaft of the gear reduced motor 212 is extendedthrough the case of the gear transmission 210 and a radial fan 258 isattached to the end of the motor's shaft. This fan 258 pulls through itboth cool air 260 from outside of the enclosure 20 as well as hot air262 from inside the enclosure 20. The cool air 260 and hot air 262 aremixed and the combined warm air move into the space between the interiorwall 101 and outside wall 99 of the double paneled right side wall 28. Along scoop shaped vent 264 adjacent to the right side of the glass door32 directs warm air out 266 over the exterior of the glass door when theembodiment is on and cooking with the glass door 32 closed. Thisdirected warm air 266 cools the exterior of the glass door to help lowerits temperature and thus the chances of a user getting burned bytouching its surface.

[0162] Other vents 268 at the top of the double paneled right side wall28 direct 280 the warm air moved by the fan 258 out 280 over the metalroof 24 of the enclosure 20 thus cooling the roof 24 and lowering itstemperature to reduce the risks of burns from users accidentallytouching the roof 24 when it is hot. Air from these vents 268 is blockedwhen the warming/steaming tray unit 144 is placed on top 24 of theenclosure 20 thus increasing the heat on the metal roof 24 and allowingthe warming/steaming tray unit 144 to function in its normal way. Othervents may be placed in other locations around the double paneled rightside wall 28, such as example adjacent to the curved metal section 34 orback 26 of the enclosure, to help vent the interior of the enclosure 20and reduce the chances of accidental burns from a user touching thatsection 34, 26 by mistake.

[0163] The enclosure 20 is generally symmetrical side to side whenviewed from the front. However there a few exceptions to this. First,there is a control/motor housing 248 mounted to the outside panel 99 ofthe double paneled right side wall 28. The control/motor housing 248 hasa power cord 250 extending out its back and contains within it: a threehour mechanical timer 222, a control switch 224, and a gear reduced 210motor 212 which powers the drive gear 208, referred to earlier,projecting through the interior panel 101 of the double paneled rightside wall 28. The heat element 110, as described earlier, also projectsfrom the interior panel 101 of the double paneled right side wall 28 andis supported by brackets 230, 232 attached to both the right interiorside wall 101 and the left interior side wall 103. There too is a light98 and light reflector 106 mounted between the interior 101 and exterior99 panels of the double paneled right side wall 28 which lights theinterior of the enclosure 20 through a translucent glass cover 100disposed on the interior wall 101 of the double paneled right side wall28. This light 98 has a red lens 112 which extends from the light 98through the light reflector 106 and exterior right panel 99 to theoutside of the double paneled right side wall 28.

[0164] The control/motor housing 248, as just described, is attached tothe outer panel 99 of the double paneled right side wall 28. Instead ofmounting the controls 222, 224 on the front face of the embodiment asmost conventional ovens do, the preferred embodiment mounts its controls222, 224 more than one-third the way back on its right side. It alsomounts the control/motor housing 248 above the bottom of the embodiment,so that more than one-eighth of the outer panel of the double paneledright side wall 28 is left exposed under the control/motor cover 248 toallow items on the countertop 42 on which the embodiment might rest tomove and reside under the control/motor housing 248.

[0165] Placing the controls 222, 224 in a separate housing 248 andplacing the housing 248 more than a third of the way back on the sideand more than an eighth of the way up the side of the cooking enclosure20 has been found to maximize valuable useable counter space whilesimultaneously not significantly impairing the accessibility, usability,or required visibility of the controls.

[0166] Adding to this accessibility, usability and required visibilityof the controls 222, 224, the surface on which they are displayed isinclined, and inclined both in plan and side views. Such doubleinclination, by facing the controls 222 224 toward the user whose eyesand hands are generally disposed above and to the right side of theenclosure 20, helps in both the viewing and the use of the controls 222,224.

[0167] Two devices control the embodiment's operation. The first is amechanical three hour count down timer 222. This windup timer 222 allowsthe embodiment to operate for up to three hours without having to resetthe timer 222. An electronic digital can be substituted to perform thesame function. Three hours is appropriate because a fifteen pound turkeytakes about 12 minutes per pound to cook or about three hours in total.Thus three hours may accommodate such a large item without having excesstime which might result in timer inaccuracies and loss of safetyadvantages. As an example, a four hour mechanical timer might have itstime markings closer together on its dial and might have a mechanismwhich is inherently less accurate than a three hour timer. Both of theseconditions would reduce the timing accuracy for the user. And safetymight be reduced it the user could leave the embodiment for four, five,or six hours, instead of only three hours maximum.

[0168] The second control device is a control switch 224 which regulatesthe functions of the heat element 110, the gear reduced motor 212, andthe light 98. The control switch 224 is only functional when the timer222 is set and running with time on it. As shown in FIG. 5, the controlswitch 224 has three positions 252, 254, 256. Starting from the left,the first position 252 called “No Heat Rotation” turns on the gearreduced motor 212, causing the spit assembly 170, if installed, torotate, and turns off both the light 98 and the heat element 110. Thelight 98 being off, along with no light shining through the red lens112, indicates to the user that the heating element 110 is off and isnot receiving electricity. This first switch position 252 is generallyused after foods have been rotisserie cooked to cool the foods downwhile continuing the rotational flow of juices in and around the foods.It 252 keeps foods moist while not allowing grease, oil and/or otherliquids to settle into the foods. It 252 may be used with the glass door32 open 132 134 .87 or closed 85 depending on whether it's desirable tocool the foods to serving temperature rapidly or slowly. If the firstswitch position 252 is used with an electronic timer, the heat element110 might be run at lower wattage or cycled on and off during thiscooling down period to keep the foods warm for a prolonged period oftime.

[0169] The second control switch position 254, titled “Normal Rotation”,is used for rotisserie cooking. In this control switch position 254 thegear reduced motor 212, the heat element 110, and the light 98 allremain on. The light 98 being on, along with light shining through thered lens 112, indicates to the user that the heating element 110 is onand receiving electricity. In the second control switch position 254,foods are rotisserie cooked for the amount of time set on the timer 222.

[0170] The third control switch position 256, titled “Pause to Sear”, isused to brown or sear the surfaces of foods. In this control switchposition 256, the gear reduced motor 212 is turned off, thus stoppingthe spit assembly 170 from rotating, but the heat element 110, and thelight 98 remain on. Using this switch position 256 involves rotating thefood using either of the other two control switch positions 252, 254until the side of the food to be browned or seared faces the heatingelement 110, and then turning the control switch 224 to the “Pause toSear” position 256. The food will brown or sear in this position 256until the time set on the timer 222 expires.

[0171] Circuits to perform the functions described herein are well knowto one knowledgeable in the art and thus are not described in thisdocument.

[0172] Besides the countdown timer and control switch, the gear reducedmotor is enclosed in the control/motor housing. Although many types ofmotors and gear transmissions might be suitable, a half inch stackshaded pole motor with spur and helical reduction has been found toproduce particularly satisfactory results in the larger size embodimentwhose dimensions have been described earlier

[0173] The smaller embodiment, whose dimensions were described earlier,might use a less powerful, and therefore less expensive motor, such as agear reduced synchronous motor. Synchronous motors have an advantage ingenerally producing less noise than generally larger shaded pole motorsand other motors commonly used in rotisseries. Use of the spit plate asan extra large and durable final drive gear allows use of synchronousmotors which usually have less durable transmissions than those used onthe more expensive shaded pole motors.

[0174] Several accessories can fit on the spit assembly. As an exampleas shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, a metal wire basket 270 might be fitted.This wire basket 270 might have a metal wire framework covered with anonstick coating to prevent foods from sticking to the basket.

[0175] The lid 272 of the basket 270 is fitted with a fixed wire tab 274on one side and a finger retractable wire tab 276 on the opposite side.Each tab fits into one of several slots 278 280 defined by wires on eachside of the dished out lower part 282 of the basket 270. Thus the lid272 may be adjusted to clamp onto and hold during rotisserie cookingseveral different thicknesses of foods.

[0176] There is a certain degree of springiness in the lid 272 and thelower part 282 of the basket 270, and this springiness allows the food284 being held in the basket 270 to be clamped under pressure betweenthe lid 272 and the lower part 282 of the basket 270 so that the food284 is prevented from shifting while cooking. The same springinessallows different thicknesses of food to be held securely at the sametime. Helping this ability to accommodate different thickness foodsimultaneously, the fixed tab 274 and the finger retractable tab 276 mayeach be inserted at different heights above the floor 286 of the dishedout lower part 282 of the basket 270.

[0177] Securing food in the basket 270 is a simple process. The food 284is first placed on the floor 286 of the dished out lower part 282 of thebasket 270. The fixed wire tab 274 on the lid 272 is slid into 283 oneof the slots 278 on the side of the dished out lower part 282 of thebasket 270. The slot 278 chosen, and hence the height of the lid 272above the floor 286 adjacent to the fixed wire tab 274, should beslightly lower than the height of the food 284 directly adjacent to theslot 278.

[0178] The finger retractable wire tab 276 is then retracted 288 bysqueezing on the movable 290 and fixed 292 handles of the fingerretractable wire tab 276. The finger retractable wire tab 276 side ofthe lid 272 is then lowered 294 to clamp the food and the retractablewire tab 288 inserted into one of the slots 280 on the side of thedished out lower part 282 of the basket 270 by releasing finger pressureon the movable 290 and fixed 292 handles of the finger retractable wiretab 276.

[0179] Attaching the basket to the spit assembly 170 is done by simplyinserting the two spit rods 176, 178 through four integral semicircularloops 296 which are part of the dished out lower part 282 of the basket270, and then placing the second spit plate 174 over the ends of thespit rods 176, 178 and inserting the spit assembly 170 with the basket270 in the normal manner into the cooking cavity 104.

[0180] The basket 270 is centered on the spit assembly 170 and fitsbetween the two spit rods 176, 178. This is different than most spitbaskets which either have a spit rod running through their center or areplaced off center to the spit assembly rotation axis. Those baskets witha spit rod through their center limit their capacity to cook large flatfoods such a steaks and fish. Those baskets which are placed off centerto the spit rotation axis cook one side of the foods they contain morethoroughly than the other. By contrast, compared to these alternativedesigns, the basket of the preferred embodiment cooks food more evenlyon both sides and has the ability to hold foods up to the full size ofthe basket. In the real world, both of these are major advantages inrotisserie cooking.

[0181] The fixed 274 and finger retractable tab 276 lid 272 attachmentdesign of the preferred embodiment also has major advantages over otherlid latching designs. As an example, many designs adjust to only onethickness of food. The preferred embodiment, through use of two tabs274, 276 which fit into separate slots 278, 280 which individuallyadjust their heights, not only allows adjustment to different thicknessfoods, but allows several different thickness foods to be held in thebasket 270 simultaneously.

[0182] Likewise, in contrast to lid attachment designs which are rigid,the preferred embodiment is springy which allows it not only adjust todifferent thickness foods being simultaneously held, but allows it alsoto put clamping pressure on the foods, even foods of differentthicknesses, being held in the basket so they won't shift duringrotisserie cooking. Shifting foods tend to get damaged and to fall outof the basket. Rigid basket designs generally don't provide this springloaded clamping pressure.

[0183] The finger latching mechanism used on the preferred embodiment isalso superior in simplicity and ease of use compared to other basketdesigns. As an example, the basket on the preferred embodiment may besecured closed with food in it using only one hand. Many other designsrequire two hands to close and latch.

[0184] Such baskets may be made in several different sizes. FIGS. 16 and17 illustrate a relatively flat basket, perhaps as an example, one toone-and-a-half inches thick, which would be inserted with the spitassembly 170 in the low heat position 122 and hold such foods as steaks,fish and small vegetables. This basket's 270 perimeter is determined bythe maximum size which will fit between the first 172 and second 174spit plates and clear: the heat rods 110, the glass door 32, the cookingcavity ceiling 142, and grate cover 162.

[0185] A thicker basket, perhaps twice as thick as the previous basket270 but otherwise similar in shape and dimensions to the previousbasket, might be made to hold lobster tails, potatoes, and other largervegetables and foods, as well as hold all the kinds of foods theprevious basket 270 might hold.

[0186] Such a thick basket might also be made which would only extendout to the perimeters of the first 172 and second 174 spit plates. Sucha basket might be used when it is mounted to the spit assembly 170 andthe spit assembly 170 is supported in the high heat position 202, closerto the heat coil 110 where the reduced size would now allow the basketto clear. It would hold all the same foods the previous two describedbaskets could, but in smaller amounts. In return for these smalleramounts due to its restricted size, this basket would cook foods fasterwhen it was placed in the high heat position.202 This basket could alsobe used in the low heat position 122 if slower cooking speeds weredesirable.

[0187] A thinner version of this high heat basket might also be made foruse where food thickness was not a factor.

[0188] As illustrated in FIG. 13, another accessory which might beincluded with the preferred embodiment is the rotary cooking container298 which stir fries and rotary cooks foods such as meats, vegetables,popcorn, shrimp, seafood, etc.

[0189] This container can also be used with or without rotation butwithout heat inside the embodiment to marinate meats and vegetables bysimply putting the meats or vegetables into the container 298 along witha marinade or rub and leaving the timer 222 in the off position orturning on the timer and placing the switch into the “No Heat Rotation”position. The rotary movement, if used, helps the marinade penetrate allsides of the meats or vegetables or helps the rubs coat all sides of themeats or vegetables with little or no intervention on the part of theuser.

[0190] This accessory comprises a spit assembly 170 mounted cylindricaltubular housing 300 with at least one opening on one end, such opening302 which may be covered by a lid or door when cooking. Severalagitation blades 304 project from the interior surfaces of thecylindrical housing 300, and help move and direct food inside thehousing 300 while the housing 300 is being rotated.

[0191] As shown in FIG. 13, in use, the cylindrical housing 300 ismounted onto the spit rods 176, 178 through holes in the housing's ends306 308.

[0192] A shape other than cylindrical may be used for the tubularhousing 300 of the rotary cooking container 298. As examples, thetubular housing might be squarcle (cross between a square and a circlelike an old television screen), square, pentagonal, hexagonal,irregular, or other shape in cross section.

[0193] To use this accessory 298, the user mounts the tubular housing300 onto the spit rods 176, 178, puts food and possibly cooking oil,spices, etc. inside the housing 300 though the hole 302 or holes 302 inthe ends 306, 308 of the housing 300, caps the housing 300 if a cap ordoor is to be used, and places the spit assembly 170, including therotary cooking container 298 with its food contents, into the low 122 orhigh heat 202 spit mounting positions inside the enclosure 20.

[0194] The cooking process which follows this is like normal rotisseriecooking, except foods can be tumbled as they cook inside the container,and if cooking oil is present, a form of stir frying may be performed.

[0195] The rotary cooking container 298 may be fabricated from stamped,rolled or cast metal, or from glass or from other appropriate materialswell known in the art.

[0196] An alternative rotary cooking container 299 is shown in FIG. 13A.This container 299 requires no spit assembly 170 to operate, but insteadincorporates integral stub axles 301 303 and an attached spit plate 305with gear teeth 307 to support and rotate the container 299 inside thecooking cavity 104. Agitators 309 inside the container 299 help move andtumble the food during cooking, application of rubs, marination.

[0197] A liquid tight door 311 covers an opening 313 in the side of thecontainer 299 through which the container 299 may be loaded andunloaded. Steam and expanding and contracting gasses are vented througha small vent hole 315 located adjacent to one of the integral stub axles303.

[0198] This alternative rotary container 299 has large useable capacitybecause there are no spit rods running through its center. It also maybe very easy to load and unload due to the large opening 313 in itsside. It also has the added advantage that no assembly is required, thecontainer is complete and does not require a spit assembly 170 to beplaced through its center to operate. And this container 299 may be usedfor all the same function of the rotary cooking container shown in FIG.13.

[0199] Either the rotary cooking container shown in FIG. 13 or the oneshown in FIG. 13A add a convenient cooking feature of automaticallyagitating foods without user intervention. When cooking, this means thatfoods tend not to burn and may be cooked with little or no oil or fats.Either rotary cooking container may be nonstick coated on theirinteriors to help facilitate not using fats and oils during cooking.Such coatings are well known in the art and thus are not described indetail herein.

[0200] Inserting and removing foods into and from the cooking cavity 104of the preferred embodiment is typically an easy process. However, thepreferred embodiment includes a pair of gloves 310 shown in FIG. 19 tosimplify the process. These gloves 310 are different than normal kitchengloves however. Their 310 outer surfaces 312 are coated with a flexible,water and grease tight material, like plastic or rubber, similar to aset of dishwashing gloves. This water and grease tight material coversan insulating layer of cotton fabric less than {fraction (1/16)} of aninch thick which helps prevent hot foods from burning the user. Thegloves 310 extend over the wrists and cover part of the user's lowerarm.

[0201] A user may lift foods, such as chickens, turkeys, steaks, ribs orvegetables, which are either mounted or not mounted on the spitassembly, both into or out of the preferred embodiment's cooking cavity104, when the food is either hot or cold, using the gloves 310.

[0202] The gloves 310 prevent the user's hands from getting dirty orgreasy and help protect the user from getting burned when handling hotfoods.

[0203] The gloves 310 also simplify handling cooked and uncooked foodsin general, and make easier the mounting and releasing foods to and fromthe spit assembly by removing concerns the user might have of gettingdirty and greasy, and getting burned when directly using his or herhands to help perform these tasks. The gloves 310 can also help protectthe user from cuts which he might get using knives or other kitchenutensils, or from the spit rods 176, 178 and other rotisseries parts andaccessories.

[0204] The gloves 310 are washable simply by placing them under runningwater and possibly using a little soap or detergent to help removegrease.

[0205] The gloves 310 are formed as normal four finger one thumb gloves,however they may also be formed as mitts with only one separationbetween thumb and finger enclosure areas, or they may have separationsfor every two or three fingers etc.

[0206] Unlike the gloves 310 that come with the preferred embodiment,conventional cooking gloves and mitts can not protect a user from hotgrease, liquids and oils when directly handing rotisserie cooked foods,nor can such gloves and mitts be easily cleaned.

[0207] Also, unlike the gloves 310 that come with the preferredembodiment, conventional cooking gloves and mitts generally do notextend over the user's wrists and lower arms and thus do not provideprotection against burns in these areas which approach hot cookingcavity walls while the user is reaching into the rotisserie cookingcavity to mount or unmount the spit assembly and for other reasons.

[0208] What has been described herein is merely one embodiment of thepresent inventions. It is not intended to show all possible applicationsfor the inventions nor should it to be deemed as limiting the scope ofprotection afforded to the present inventions. Such scope is defined bythe claims appended hereto and their legally interpreted protection.Many variations may be made which exhibit the present inventions but donot literally duplicate all or parts of the embodiments describedherein.

[0209] As examples: scale and proportions may be changed to provideincrease capacity or more efficient use of available space; materialsmay be changed such as use of cast or stamped metals, or use of glass orthermoset or thermoform plastics to form the enclosure 20 or partstherein such as the spit plates 172, 174 and drip pan 120 or otherparts; other types of motors might be used such as PM dc motors,universal motors, inductance motors, synchronous motors, etc.; pots,pans, fry pans etc. might be used for heating foods on top 24 of theenclosure 20 either to augment the warming/steaming tray unit 144 or inplace of it; curved glass might be substituted for the single flat panelof glass 64 used in the inclined door 32; the control/motor housing 248might be round, square or other shape in side view; the light 98 mightbe placed in other parts of the enclosure such as in the forward uppercorner; electronics and possibly remote controlled electronics might beused to control the oven; bigger or smaller diameter spit plates 172,174 might be used to give more kabob locations and better mechanicaldrive advantages or make handling of the spit assembly 170 easier; othertypes of handles 90 might be used on the door 32 such as a moreconventional center handle or handles extending from the sides of thedoor 32, or a handle going the full width of the top of the door;materials other than glass might be used for the door 32 such as plasticor metal.

[0210] Referring to FIGS. 20 to 22, the barbeque rotisserie spitassembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention is illustrated. A barbeque grill 500 and a rotisserie spitassembly 502 are provided in the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. The barbeque grill 500 includes a lower pan 504 and a heatsource 506. The lower pan 504 usually has four walls 508, 510, 512 and514. The heat source 506 is typically a gas burner element that suppliesa flame from a gas source. Any other type of heat source, however may beused. Thus, charcoal, electric heaters and any other heat source can beused.

[0211] The barbeque grill 500 also typically, but not necessarily, willinclude a top 516 that covers the lower pan 504 when lowered. The top516 is typically hinged to the lower pan 504 via hinges 518 and 520. Thetop 516 also typically includes a slot 522 on each of its sides to allowit to be lowered onto the lower pan 504 when a rotisserie device isattached to the grill.

[0212] It should be appreciated that the present invention can be usedwith any form of barbeque grill in addition to the grill 500illustrated. Thus, the grill 500 can have a lower pan 504 that is round,rectangular, circular, elliptical or any other shape. Additionally, thewalls 508 to 514 can be vertical or angled off of vertical.

[0213] The barbeque grill 500 includes a rotisserie spit assembly 502.The rotisserie spit assembly 502 is similar to the spit assembly shownin FIGS. 1 to 19 and has been fully described with reference to thoseFIGS. The spit assembly 502 includes two circular plates 524 and 526.The circular plate 524 includes two tubes 528 and 530 and the circularplate 526 includes two tubes 532 and 534. A spit rod 536 extends betweenthe tubes 528 and 532. A second spit rod 538 extends between the tubes530 and 534. The tubes 528 and 534 are adapted to receive the ends ofthe spit rods 536 and 538 in a friction fit so that the spit rods 536and 538 can be easily assembled and disassembled. The ends of the spitrods 536 and 538 are pointed to allow easy insertion of the rods 536 and538 into food and into the tubes 532 and 534. In accordance with arecent development, it is further preferred that end of the tubes 532and 534 be flared. In accordance with this preferred embodiment, theopenings in the tubes 532 and 534, where the spit rods first enters thetubes, is at least three times the diameter of the spit rods. This hasbeen found to greatly facilitate the insertion of the spit rods into thetubes as the flaring allows the pointed ends of the spits rods 536 and538 to easily align with the tube openings. The pointed ends of the spitrods 536 and 538 attach to the tubes 532 and 534 with only a frictionfit between the spit rods 536 and 538 and the inside of the tubes 532and 534 that overlap the spit rods. No set screw or other fasteners areused to engage the spit rods 536 and 538 to the tubes 532 and 534, thussimplifying assembly and disassembly of the rotisserie spit assembly502.

[0214] The spit rods 536 and 538 attach to the tubes 528 and 530 via anoverlapping friction fit. Additionally, set screws or other fastenersare also used to connect the spit rods 536 and 538 to the tubes 528 and530. Each spit rod 536 and 538 may also have an annular groove adjacentto its end to help a set screw fasten to each spit rod 536 and 538.

[0215] The rotisserie spit assembly 502 of the present invention alsoincludes at least one set of circular geared teeth 540. In accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a second set ofgeared teeth 542 is provided on the other end of the rotisserie spitassembly 502. During rotisserie operation, one of these sets of gearedteeth 540 or 542 engages a drive mechanism to cause the rotation of therotisserie spit assembly 502. The placement of the geared teeth 540 and542 on either end of the rotisserie spit assembly 502 eases the use ofthe assembly 502 by allowing the user to place the assembly 502 in thegrill 500 without concern about the orientation of the assembly 502.Further, while the circular set of geared teeth 540 and 542 areillustrated around the periphery of the circular plates 524 and 526,respectively, they can be also be placed in other areas of therotisserie spit assembly 502. For example, the circular set of gearedteeth 540 and 542 could be located around any circumference of thecircular plates 524 and 526 respectively.

[0216] Each of the circular plates 524 and 526 includes a stub axle 544and 546, respectively. These stub axles 544 and 546 are located in thecenter of the circular plates 524 and 526 and face outward from therotisserie spit assembly 502. The stub axles 544 and 546 support therotisserie assembly 502 when it is placed in the barbeque grill 500during rotisserie operations.

[0217] The present invention also includes two brackets 548 and 550 thatsupport the rotisserie assembly 502 and a motor 552. The motor 552 hasan electric cord 554 that is used to provide electrical power to themotor 552.

[0218] Each of the two brackets 548 and 550 are attached to the walls508 and 512, respectively of the barbeque grill 500. While manydifferent attachment methods can be utilized to secure the brackets 548and 550 to the barbeque grill 500, a preferred method of making theattachment is illustrated in FIGS. 20 to 22. Referring particularly toFIG. 22, the bracket 550 has a U-shaped clamp section 556 at its base.The clamp section 556 has an outer leg 558 and an inner leg 560. Thelegs 558 and 560 are joined together at their tops by a tapered,V-shaped span 562. Due to the tapering of the V-shaped span 562, thespan 562 straddles and self-centers itself on the horizontal upper edge564 of the grill wall 512.

[0219] The bracket 550 includes a spit axle support wall 574 that islocated above the U-shaped clamp section 556. The spit axle support wall574 and the U-shaped clamp section 556 can be constructed from a singlepiece of material or they may be constructed from multiple parts.

[0220] The spit axle support wall 574 includes a plurality of detents576, 578 and 580. These detents 576, 578 and 580 are recesses in the topportion of the spit axle support wall 574 that can receive one of thestub axles 544 or 546 to support the rotisserie spit assembly 502 atdifferent distances from the heat source 506. For example, when a stubaxle is in the detent 576, the rotisserie spit assembly 502 is closestto the heat source 506. When a stub axle is in the detent 578, therotisserie spit assembly 502 is farther from the heat source 506 thanwhen the stub axle is in the detent 576 when a stub axle is in thedetent 580, the rotisserie spit assembly 502 is farther from the heatsource 506 than when the stub axle is in the detent 578.

[0221] The spit axle support wall 574 should be mounted vertically onthe grill 500. To mount the spit axle support wall 574 vertically, theouter leg 558 has a set screw 566 with a knurled head 568 near the lowerportion of the outer leg 558 and the inner leg 560 also has a set screw570 with a knurled head 572 near its lower portion. By adjusting,loosening and/or tightening as necessary, these two set screws 566 and570, the bracket 550 can be adjusted and attached such that the spitaxle support wall 574 is in a vertical disposition. This verticaldisposition can be obtained even on barbeques having different inclineson their side walls 512. The set screws 566 and 570 can be tightenedusing tools, or better, by tightening using hand pressure on the knurledheads 568 and 572.

[0222] The bracket 548 has a similar construction as the bracket 550.The bracket 548 includes a U-shaped clamp section 582 at its base. Theclamp section 582 has an outer leger 584 and an inner leg 586. The legs584 and 586 are joined together at their tops by a tapered, V-shapedspan 588. Due to the tapering of the V-shaped span 588, the span 588straddles and self-centers itself on the horizontal upper edge of thegrill wall 508.

[0223] The bracket 548 includes a pit axle support wall 600 that islocated above the U-shaped clamp section 582. As previously described,the spit axle support wall 600 and the U-shaped clamp section 582 can beconstructed from a single piece of material or they may be constructedfrom multiple parts.

[0224] The spit axle support wall 600 includes a plurality of ndetents602, 604 and 606 (illustrated behind the circular plate 524). Thesedetents 602, 604 and 606 are recesses in the top portion of the spitaxle support wall 600 that can receive one of the stub axles 544 or 546to support the rotisserie spit assembly 502 at different distances fromthe heat source 506. These detents 602, 604 and 606 are located oppositethe detents 576, 578 and 580 respectively. The stub axles 544 and 546are meant to be positioned in the detent pairs 576 and 602 in the detentpair 578 and 604 or in the detent pair 580 and 606, so that therotisserie spit assembly 502 is in a horizontal position. When the stubaxles 544 and 546 are positioned in the detent pair 576 and 602, therotisserie spit assembly 502 is closest to the heat source 506. When thestub axles 544 and 546 are positioned in the detent pair 578 and 604,the rotisserie spit assembly 502 is farther from the heat source 506than when the stub axles are in the detent pair 576 and 602. When thestub axles 544 and 546 are in the detent pair 580 and 606, therotisserie spit assembly 502 is farther from the heat source 506 thanwhen the stub axles are in the detent pairs 578 and 604.

[0225] The spit axle support wall 600 should also be mounted verticallyon the grill 500. A similar dual set screw arrangement that waspreviously described with respect to the spit axle support wall 574 isprovided to enable the vertical mounting of the spit axle support wall600. To mount the spit axle support wall 600 vertically, the outer leg584 has a set screw 592 with a knurled head 594 near the lower portionof the outer leg 584 and the inner leg 586 also has a set screw 596 witha knurled head 598 near its lower portion. As previously described, byadjusting, loosening and/or tightening as necessary these two set screw592 and 596, the bracket 548 can be adjusted and attached such that thespit axle support wall 600 is in a vertical disposition. This verticaldisposition can be obtained even on barbeques having different inclineson their side walls 508.

[0226] The motor 552 is affixed to the bracket 550. The motor 552 ispreferably a gear-reduced motor. A drive shaft 608 extends from themotor 552. The drive shaft 608 extends through a hole 610 in the bracket550. A drive gear 612 is connected to the end of the drive shaft 608.The drive gear 612 is on the opposite side of the bracket 550 than themotor 552.

[0227] The drive gear 612 has gear teeth around its periphery that meshwith the gear teeth 542 around the periphery of the circular plate 526.Alternatively, if the rotisserie spit assembly 502 is oriented in theopposite position so that the circular plate 524 is in the position thatthe circular plate 526 is shown in, then the mesh of the drive gear 612will mesh with the gear teeth 540 around the periphery of the circularplate 524.

[0228] A switch 614 is provided to activate and deactivate the motor552. When the motor 552 is activated, the motor causes the drive shaft608 and the drive gear 612 to rotate. This rotation causes the rotationof the rotisserie spit assembly 502 when the gear teeth 542 on thecircular plate 526 are meshed with the gear teeth on the drive gear 612.

[0229] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the gear teeth around the periphery of the drive gear 612engage the gear teeth around the periphery of one of the circular plates524 and 526 regardless of which detent 576, 578 or 580 the respectivestub axle is positioned in. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, therotisserie spit assembly 502 rotates regardless of which position theassembly 502 is placed on the brackets 548 and 550. The position ischosen on the basis of how close the user wants the food beingrotisserie cooked to the heat source 506.

[0230] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention,the gear teeth around the periphery of the drive gear 612 engage thegear teeth around the periphery of one of the circular plates 524 and526 when the respective stub axles 546 and 544 are in the detent pair576 and 602 or when in the detent pair 578 and 604. Thus, the rotisseriespit assembly 502 rotates in this embodiment when the rotisserie spitassembly 502 is positioned as described. In this alternate embodiment,the gear teeth around the periphery of the drive gear 612 do not engagethe gear teeth around the periphery of one of the circular plates 524and 526 when the respective stub axles 546 and 544 are in the detentpair 580 and 606, so that the rotisserie spit assembly 502 does notrotate.

[0231] Thus, the multiple detents allow the rotisserie spit assembly 502to be mounted at various distances and angles from the heat source 506.This can be used to speed or slow food cooking and to adjust thetemperature at which the food is cooked. This is a desirable feature inmany recipes.

[0232] Several steps are preferably followed to mount food onto the spitrods 536 and 538 and then cook the food. To mount the food, a userpreferably pushes the pointed ends of the spit rods 536 and 538 throughthe food and then centers the food on the spit rods 536 and 538. Thenthe pointed ends of the spit rods 536 and 538 are inserted into thetubes 532 and 534, which hold the spit rods 536 and 538 in a frictionfit.

[0233] Then the user takes the rotisserie spit assembly 502 and placesit on one of the detent pairs on the brackets 548 and 550. If the gearteeth on one of the circular plates 524 or 526 meshes with the gearteeth on the drive gear 612, then the rotisserie spit assembly 502rotates past the heat source 506 so that the food is rotisserie cooked.

[0234] The two spit rod design of the present invention, when comparedto conventional single spit rod, allows foods to be mounted moreoff-center. This in turn may allow more food to be mounted to the rodsby allowing the counter-balanced mounting of several pieces of food.

[0235] Removing the food from the two spit rods 536 and 538 isaccomplished by lifting the rotisserie spit assembly 502 free of thebracket walls 548 and 550 and then removing the circular spit plate 526from the spit rods 536 and 538. In many cases, this is easier than usinga single heavy spit rod, because the two thinner spit rods 536 and 538will slide easier from food than from a single heavy rod. Also, thereare no forks, stabilizers or other hardware that must be removed todismount the food.

[0236] Cleaning the rotisserie spit assembly 502 of the presentinvention and the barbeque grill 500 is also easier than cleaning withother barbeque rotisserie designs. The circular plates 524 and 526function to block splattering grease and oil from hitting the walls 508to 514. Further, these plates 524 and 526 are removable and may beplaced in a sink or dishwasher for easy cleaning.

[0237] Various accessories previously described in this disclosure canbe used with the rotisserie spit assembly 502 on the grill 500 inaccordance with the present invention. For example, the basket assemblyillustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17 can be used. Similarly, the kabob rodsillustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 can be used with the rotisserie spitassembly 502 on the grill 500. The kabob rods would be inserted into theholes 620 in the circular plates 524 and 526. On rotation of therotisserie spit assembly 502, the kabob rods would catch on the drivegear 612 so that the kabob rods would rotate relative to the rotisseriespit assembly 502, in a manner similar to the way the kabob rod rotateswhen it catches the drive gear 208 in the counter top oven disclosedherein.

[0238] It is further preferred to provide these components in a kit. Thekit preferably includes the rotisserie spit assembly 502, with the twospit rods and the two circular plates. The kit also preferably includesthe motor 552 with the drive shaft 608 and the drive gear 612. The kitfurther preferably includes the brackets 548 and 550, with thepreviously described set screw arrangement, and a basket such as thetype illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17. The kit can also include aplurality of kabob rods. Further a spit support base 186 can be includedin the kit.

What is claimed is:
 1. A barbeque grill for cooking food, comprising: astructure that at least partially surrounds the food being cooked; aheat source: a rotisserie spit assembly including a spit rod, a circularset of geared teeth, a first stub axle and a second stub axle; a firstand second bracket, each of the brackets being mounted to the structureand each of the brackets including positioning means for receiving oneof the stub axles in a position; and, a motor having a drive shaft and adrive gear; wherein when the first and second stub axles are placed inthe position in the first and second brackets, the circular set ofgeared teeth engages the drive gear.
 2. The barbeque grill as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising a switch for enabling and disabling themotor.
 3. The barbeque grill as claimed in claim 1, further comprising alid that fits over the structure.
 4. The barbeque grill as claimed inclaim 3, wherein the lid is attached to the structure via a hinge sothat the lid can be opened and closed.
 5. The barbeque grill as claimedin claim 1, wherein the rotisserie spit assembly includes two plates,the spit rod extending between the two plates and the circular set ofgeared teeth extending around the periphery of one of the plates.
 6. Thebarbeque grill as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spit rod assemblyfurther comprises a second spit rod that extends between the two plates.7. The barbeque grill as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a secondcircular set of geared teeth that extend around the periphery of theother of the plates.
 8. The barbeque grill as claimed in claim 6,further comprising a second circular set of geared. teeth that extendaround the periphery of the other of the plates.
 9. The barbeque grillas claimed in claim 1, wherein the spit rod assembly further comprises asecond spit rod.
 10. The barbeque grill as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe first and second bracket further comprise means for placing one ofthe stub axles in one of a plurality of positions wherein in each of theplurality of positions, the circular set of geared teeth engages thedrive gear.
 11. The barbeque grill as claimed in claim 10, wherein thedistance of the rotisserie spit assembly from the heating source dependson which position the stud axles are in.
 12. The barbeque grill asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second bracket furthercomprise means for placing one of the stub axles in a plurality ofpositions wherein in one of the positions, the circular set of gearedteeth does not engage the drive gear, but in the remaining positions,the circular set of geared teeth does engage the drive gear.
 13. Thebarbeque grill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and secondbracket each include a detent along the top of the bracket forpositioning the stud axles.
 14. The barbeque grill as claimed in claim1, wherein the first and second bracket each include a plurality ofdetents along the top of the bracket, each of the detents positioningone of the stud axles in one of a plurality of positions, each of thepositions being a different distance from the heating source.
 15. Thebarbeque grill as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor is mounted toone of the brackets.
 16. The barbeque grill as claimed in claim 15,wherein the motor is positioned on one side of the bracket to which itis mounted and the drive gear is positioned on the other side of thebracket.
 17. The barbeque grill as claimed in claim 16, wherein themotor is positioned outside the structure and the drive gear ispositioned inside the structure.
 18. The barbeque grill as claimed inclaim 1, each of the brackets further comprising two legs joined at oneof their ends by a top span, the two legs straddling the sides of thestructure.
 19. The barbeque grill as claimed in claim 18, each of thebrackets further comprising a first set screw on one of the two legs anda second set screw on the second of the two legs.
 20. The barbeque grillas claimed in claim 19, whereby on each of the brackets the set screwsadjust the distance of the legs from the sides of the structure so thatthe bracket is oriented in a vertical position.
 21. The barbeque grillas claimed in claim 18, the top span having a V-shaped section thatcontacts the barbeque grill.
 22. A barbeque grill for cooking food,comprising: a structure that at least partially surrounds the food beingcooked; a heat source: a rotisserie spit assembly including a spit rod,a circular set of geared teeth, a first stub axle and a second stubaxle; a first and second bracket, each of the brackets being mounted tothe structure and each of the bracket including a detent along its topin which one of the stub axles fits; and, a motor having a drive shaftand a drive gear; wherein when the first and second stub axles areplaced in the detents in the first and second brackets, the circular setof geared teeth engages the drive gear.
 23. The barbeque grill asclaimed in claim 22, further comprising a plurality of detents along thetop of each bracket in which one of the stud axles fits.
 24. Thebarbeque grill as claimed in claim 23, wherein the circular set ofgeared teeth engages the drive gear when the first and second stub axlesare placed in any of the plurality of detents.
 25. The barbeque grill asclaimed in claim 23, wherein the distance between the rotisserie spitassembly and the heat source depends on which of the plurality ofdetents the stud axles are positioned in.
 26. The barbeque grill asclaimed in claim 22, wherein the motor is mounted to one of thebrackets.
 27. The barbeque grill as claimed in claim 26, wherein themotor is positioned on one side of the bracket to which it is mountedand the drive gear is positioned on the other side of the bracket.
 28. Arotisserie kit for a barbeque grill, comprising: a rotisserie spitassembly including a spit rod, a circular set of geared teeth, a firststub axle and a second stub axle; a first and second bracket, each ofthe brackets including mounting means for securing the bracket to thebarbeque grill and each of the brackets including positioning means forplacing one of the stub axles in a position; and, a motor having a driveshaft and a drive gear; wherein when the first and second stub axles areplaced in the position in the first and second brackets, the circularset of geared teeth engages the drive gear.
 29. The rotisserie kit asclaimed in claim 28, wherein the rotisserie spit assembly includes twoplates, the spit rod extending between the two plates and the circularset of geared teeth extending around the periphery of one of the plates.30. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 29, wherein the spit rodassembly further comprises a second spit rod that extends between thetwo plates.
 31. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 29, furthercomprising a second circular set of geared teeth that extend around theperiphery of-the other of the plates.
 32. The rotisserie kit as claimedin claim 30, further comprising a second circular set of geared teeththat extend around the periphery of the other of the plates.
 33. Therotisserie kit as claimed in claim 28, wherein the spit rod assemblyfurther comprises a second spit rod.
 34. The rotisserie kit as claimedin claim 28, wherein the first and second bracket further comprise meansfor placing one of the stub axles in a plurality of positions wherein ineach of the plurality of positions, the circular set of geared teethengages the drive gear.
 35. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 28,wherein the first and second bracket further comprise means for placingone of the stub axles in a plurality of positions wherein in one of thepositions, the circular set of geared teeth does not engage the drivegear, but in the remaining positions, the circular set of geared teethdoes engage the drive gear.
 36. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim28, wherein the motor is adapted to be mounted to one of the brackets.37. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 36, wherein the motor isadapted to be positioned on one side of the bracket to which it is to bemounted and the drive gear is adapted to be positioned on the other sideof the bracket.
 38. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 28, furthercomprising a basket that attaches to the rotisserie spit assembly. 39.The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 28, further comprising a mountingplate adapted to receive either of the plates to position the spit rodin a vertical position.
 40. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 39,further comprising a basket that attaches to the rotisserie spitassembly.
 41. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 28, furthercomprising a plurality of kabob rods that removably attach to therotisserie spit assembly.
 42. A rotisserie kit for a barbeque grill,comprising: a rotisserie spit assembly including a spit rod, a circularset of geared teeth, a first stub axle and a second stub axle; a firstand second bracket, each of the brackets including mounting means forsecuring the bracket to the barbeque grill and each of the bracketsincluding a detent along the top of the bracket that places one of thestub axles in a position; and, a motor having a drive shaft and a drivegear; wherein when the first and second stub axles are placed in thedetents in the first and second brackets, the circular set of gearedteeth engages the drive gear.
 43. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim42, wherein the rotisserie spit assembly includes two plates, the spitrod extending between the two plates and the circular set of gearedteeth extending around the periphery of one of the plates.
 44. Therotisserie kit as claimed in claim 43, wherein the spit rod assemblyfurther comprises a second spit rod that extends between the two plates.45. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 43, further comprising asecond circular set of geared teeth that extend around the periphery ofthe other of the plates.
 46. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 44,further comprising a second circular set of geared teeth that extendaround the periphery of the other of the plates.
 47. The rotisserie kitas claimed in claim 42, wherein the spit rod assembly further comprisesa second spit rod.
 48. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 42,wherein the first and second bracket each include a plurality of detentsalong the top of the bracket, each of the plurality of detentspositioning the stud axles in a different position.
 49. The rotisseriekit as claimed in claim 42, wherein the first and second bracket eachinclude a plurality of detents along the top of the bracket that canposition the stub axles in a plurality of positions such that in one ofthe positions, the circular set of geared teeth does not engage thedrive gear, but in the remaining positions, the circular set of gearedteeth does engage the drive gear.
 50. The rotisserie kit as claimed inclaim 42, wherein the motor is mounted to one of the brackets.
 51. Therotisserie kit as claimed in claim 50, wherein the motor is positionedon one side of the bracket to which it is mounted and the drive gear ispositioned on the other side of the bracket to which it is mounted. 52.The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 42, further comprising a basketthat attaches to the rotisserie spit assembly.
 53. The rotisserie kit asclaimed in claim 42, further comprising a mounting plate adapted toreceive either of the plates to position the spit rod in a verticalposition.
 54. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 53, furthercomprising a basket that attaches to the rotisserie spit assembly. 55.The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 42, further comprising aplurality of kabob rods that removably attach to the rotisserie spitassembly.
 56. A method of barbecuing food on a grill, the grill having arotisserie spit assembly that has a circular set of geared teeth and twostub axles, the grill further having a motor, a drive gear attached tothe motor and a pair of brackets capable of receiving the stub axles andpositioning the rotisserie spit assembly in one of a plurality ofpositions such that the circular set of geared teeth engages the drivegear to rotate the rotisserie spit assembly, comprising the steps of:securing the food to the rotisserie spit assembly; placing the stubaxles of the rotisserie spit assembly on the pair of brackets in one ofthe plurality of positions so that the circular set of geared teethengages the drive gear and the rotisserie spit assembly rotates.
 57. Themethod as claimed in claim 56, the grill further including a heatingsource, the method further comprising the step of adjusting the positionof the rotisserie spit assembly on the pair of brackets to adjust thedistance of the rotisserie spit assembly from the heating source
 58. Abracket for a barbeque grill, the barbeque grill having side walls and arotisserie spit assembly having spit axles, comprising: a firststructure having two legs joined at one of their ends by a top span,such that the two legs can straddle one of the side walls of thebarbeque grill, each of the legs having aligned holes; and a spit axlesupport wall having a detent that can receive one of the spit axles. 59.The bracket as claimed in claim 58, wherein the first structure and thespit axle support wall are one piece.
 60. The bracket as claimed inclaim 58, further comprising a tapered V-shaped span along the top span.61. The bracket as claimed in claim 60, whereby the V-shaped spancontacts the barbeque grill when attached to the barbeque grill andself-centers the first structure on the barbeque grill so that thebracket is oriented in a vertical position.
 62. The bracket as claimedin claim 58, further comprising means for securing the bracket to thebarbeque grill.
 63. The bracket as claimed in claim 58, wherein themeans for securing the bracket to the barbeque grill is a set screw. 64.The bracket as claimed in claim 58, wherein the barbeque grill has amotor that has a drive shaft and a drive gear and that causes therotation of a rotisserie spit assembly, further comprising: motorsupport means for supporting the motor; and a hole in the spit axlesupport wall through which the drive shaft can pass.
 65. The bracket asclaimed in claim 64, further comprising: means for securing the bracketto the barbeque grill.
 66. A rotisserie kit, comprising: a rotisseriespit assembly having a first and second end; a motor; a first bracketincluding means for supporting the first end of the rotisserie spitassembly and means for being secured to the barbeque grill; a secondbracket including means for supporting the second end of the rotisseriespit assembly and means for being secured to the barbeque grill; and abasket that can be attached to the rotisserie spit assembly to hold foodthat will be cooked.
 67. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 66,wherein the first and second brackets include means for supporting therotisserie spit assembly in a plurality of positions.
 68. The rotisseriekit as claimed in claim 66, the first bracket further comprising meansfor supporting the motor.
 69. The rotisserie kit as claimed in claim 66,further comprising a plurality of kabob rods that removably attach tothe rotisserie spit assembly.